Revolutionary Moderation

Ezra's logic grows shakier



Here's an interesting column by my personal favourite right-wing whipping boy, Ezra Levant. Oh, how I wish the Calgary Sun archived these, but you'll have to check this link before the 25 August if you want to see the column, or head to the public library after that.



Let me boil it down, however - Ezra believes the current forest fires in Alberta and B.C. illustrate why the Kyoto Protocol is a waste of time. After all, forest fires around the world are huge contributors of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, so surely reducing human contributions is pointless.



What a fascinating perspective. Fascinating because Ezra is illustrating the hole in his logic even as he makes the argument.



Jasper and Banff are both experiencing smaller but still serious fires this summer. They started when controlled burns became far less so, because of the extremely dry weather - Jasper is experiencing the second-driest year in the hundred they've been recording this information. Hmmm.... I wonder what could be causing this unusual lack of moisture?



Yes, there are always forest fires - they are a normal and healthy part of the ecosystem. And we will always have extremes in weather - some year has to be the hottest, or the wettest, or whatever. But is it at all possible (not certain, but possible) that the weather that's creating the perfect conditions for crazy forest fires this year is a result of global warming? That global warming is at least a contributing factor? Is it not possible that human activity is indirectly responsible, therefore, for all of the greenhouse gas (as well as the smoke and ash that conveniently worries Ezra so much more in this column) the fires are producing?



Many elements of the science of global warming are agreed upon, and a few are disputed. But calling the forest fires an illustration of why Kyoto is a bad idea, as opposed to, say, a prudent idea just in case --- well, that's Ezra-style logic at work.